The Gainesville Gaviatas

The Gainesville Gaviatas is a competitive synchronized swimming team that was begun in 1997 by Mary Pat Stephan and Alison Law. We accept swimmers ranging in age from 8-15.  Our competitive teams compete in meets throughout the state of Florida. We also offer non-competitive opportunities for girls and boys to try it and see if they like it.

The team functions under the rules of the Florida Association of Synchronized Swimming, which is a division of the United States Synchronized Swimming, Inc. Practice for the swimmers ranges in length and frequency depending upon the level of the swimmer. The structure of each practice for our swimmers varies, but usually includes conditioning laps to build stamina and land work to build strength and flexibility. The swimmers will also work on perfecting their routines with land-drilling and swim-throughs to music.

Spectators have been awed by the strength, grace and power of synchronized swimming since the inception of the sport in the early 1900s. Synchronized swimming (synchro) requires a unique combination of overall body strength and agility, grace and beauty, split-second timing, musical interpretation, stamina and dramatic flair. Many swimmers refer to synchronized swimming as dance or gymnastics in the water. Synchro incorporates the elegance of ballet, the strength and flexibility of a gymnast, and the stamina of a speed swimmer, all to sounds of music above and below the water.

In order to master the sport of synchronized swimming, athletes need several important skills. A good command of basic swimming strokes, including crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and sidestroke is necessary because synchronized swimming strokes are variations of each of these. Synchronized swimming is a very demanding sport, requiring hard work and self-discipline. It also is very rewarding for everyone involved, particularly the swimmers.

The Gaviatas Mission

The Gainesville Gaviatas’ mission is to make a safe, fun environment for all our athletes, while also teaching teamwork, creativity, and leadership skills that can be used later in life.

All of our parents play an important role in our mission. They keep the club progressing and makes for a safe and fun environment for members of the team and their families.